Protector device for safes



Dec. 22, 1931. c. F. WOLTER$ ET AL.

PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SAFES Filed April 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheat Dec. 22, 1931.

C. F. WOLTERS ET AL PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SAFES Filed April 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 jmrenora Carl E 36ers 1931. c. F. WOLTERS ET AL.

PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SAFES Filed April 18,

1928 5 Sheets-Sheet IHUGflZZ F'S ('arlif'wlers Charles Jimlie ragga Dec. 22, 1931. c. F. WOLTERS ET AL PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SAFES Filed April 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet c. F. WOLTERS ET AL 37,247

PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SAFES Dec .22, 1931.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 Filed April 18, 1928 o Patented Deea 22, 1931 CARL F. VOLTERS AND CHARLES SHULTE,-OF MARIETEA, OHIO, ASSIGNORS .TO REMING- TON BAND ENG, .01 BUFFALO, NEW 'YORK I PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR SA'F-ES Application 'filerl April '18,

'lhis invention relates to protector devices 'fflliSELfSSyVEUllt doors,and the like.

ilheobjects of this inventionare the production of a reliably operablegas generating andgas emitting protector device for a safe or the like; the provision of .means for causing said device to function when vibrations are set up as by an attempt to gain access to the safe or to the device itself by drilling, chiseling and other operations that may be employed in fracturing or opening the'safe; the provision of means forcausi-ng-the devic to operate when an attempt is made to gain access to the interior of said device as by forming an opening therein by burning away a portion-of the metal; the provision of means for causing the device to function when an attempt is made to cut :the hinges by a gas flame or the like; the provisionof means for causing :the device to function when an attempt is made to disable the mechanism of the device by pouring paratlin or any other liquid into the device; the provision of means for supporting the device in a position where it does 12 ot interfere with the ordinary use of the safe; the provision of means for locking the device in position on a door of the safe when the door is closed and to simultaneously set mechanism to permit the device to function when an attempt is made to gain access to the safe or the device itself by any means such as mentioned in the preceding objects; and the provision of means for locking the control mechanism automatically as the device is unlocked from the safe prior to moving it into non-functioning position.

Additional objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanymg-drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the safe with the device swung into and. secured in functioning position portions .ofthe safe .being broken to show its construction.

2 shows the device resting on top of the in a non-functioning position.

. Fig. 3 is a vei tlcal longitudinal section through the casing of the. device snowing the mechanism conditioned to be operated.

4 is a front view of the casing with a 1928. Serial No.1271,054.

portion of the casing broken away and :the mechanism locked in disabled condition- Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5-5., Figure 8, showing the mechanism conditioned for operation as in Figure .3.

Fig. 6 isan end elevation showing a portion of the casing broken away and the interior mechanism conditioned for non-operation .as in Figure 4. V

Fig. 7 is a front view of the gas canister.

Fig. 8 is anedge 'ViBWzOf the gas canister.

Fig. :9 is a longitudinal section-through the right hand hinge in Figure 3.

Fig. 10 shows a .modificationof the .firing hammerconstruction in the normal set position.

Fig. 11 is a view-similar to Figure 10 with the primary firing hammer in operated position! V Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line 1212 of Figure 10 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The protector device is shown in Figure .1 in its functioning position swung in front of the primary or right hand door of the safe. The safe shown is of a well known type comprising a body of reinforced heat resisting composition, an outer shell of steel, anddoors comprising inner and outer shells .of steel enclosing a slabof heat resisting material. The right hand door-carries the-locking mechanism for the safe and through the usual overlapping rabbet construction prevents opening of the left hand door as is well understood.

The protector device is enclosed in .a casing 20, (Figs. 1 to 6) ,comprising a flanged front male member 21 and a flanged rear female member 22, the flanges of which overlap and are secured together at the top by any suitable meansand are spaced along the sidesand bottom as shown at 23, (Figs. 3, 4L, 5 and 6). The flange of the front male member is provided with ports 24%, (Figures 5 and 6), to provide a passage for gas from the interior of the casing to the space 9.3 between the flanges :of said members which communicates with the outside of the casin Thecasingis preferablyconnected byhinges 25 to the top of the safe .to permit it to occupy ither of the positions shown in Figs. land 2. Each hinge comprises a member 26 secured to the top of the safe. This member is provided with a groove 27, 9), extending from the hinge end of the member to a point near its other end to receive a short length of fuse 28. Only one hinge is provided with a fuse as both hinges must be cut before the device can be detached. However, both hinges are shown of the same construet-ion. VVhenthis member is secured in position on the safe, it prevents unauthorized removal of the fuse. The other hinge member 29 has a right angular end 30, (Figs. 8, 4 and 5), extending through a slot into the upper portion of the flange of the front member 21 of the casing, with the right angular portion in contact with and secured to the inside of said flange by any suitable means. This interlockingconnectionbetweenthishingemember and the casing prevents removal of the hinge member from the casing when the casing is locked to the safe by means later described even when the rivet connections or the like between these parts have been cut or removed.

Secured to the back of this hinge member 29 is a trough shaped 'member' 31, (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 9), forming with the hinge member a housing for the end of a fuse 32, (Figs. 3 and 9), extending into the interior of the casing. One end of the fuse as shown in Figure 9 is in close proximity to the end of fuse 28. The lower end of the member 31 extends into the flange of the front member 21 of the casing as indicated in Figurel'). The hinge member 7 29 and trough shaped member 31 are prefer ably welded together or otherwise secured or integrally formed and together have a close fitting connection with the flange of the front member of the casing. A block Figs. 2 and 5), limits the movement of the casing toward the safe. The top of the safe may be provided with a rest 34, (Figs. 1 and 2), and the casing with a cooperating member 35.

Secured in spaced relation to the rear member of the casing by an upper angle member 38, (Figs. 3, 7 and and a lower angle member 39 is a canister 40 of the general configuration shown in'these figures. The horizontal portion of the upper angle 1 1ember38 preferably extends through slot in the rear wall of the canister into contact with the in ner face of the upper wall of the canister to which it is secured by any suitable means which by this construction isrelieved of the weight of the canister.

' The lower inclined edge of the canister is provided with a filling opening 41, 7), suitably closed after the canister is filled by a plate 42 soldered in'place.

In the right hand end and near the top of the canister is secured a primer cap 43, 3, 5, 7 and 8). This cap extends into a layer of tea: producing compound 45 lying over a large quantity of a smoke producing compound 46 filling the larger portion of the canister to a point indicated by the dash line 47, (Figs. and 8).

he gas generated is emitted through openings 48, (Figs. 3 and 7) covered by collodion or other like substance which preferably is also employed to seal around the primer cap The canister is preferably constructed of zinc, which under the heat generated by the smoke producing compound, melts to permit the rapid discharge of smoke gas fr m the canister. The gases generate-d are discharged from the casing through the ports 24, 5 and 6), and space 23 hereinbefore described.

The primer cap 43 is set oil by a firing hammer 50, (Figs. 3 to 6), suitably pivoted at 51 to a stud on a bar 54. The hammer is actuated by a spring 52 hearing against a shoulder on the hammer and a shoulder formed by a horizontal flange 53 on the forwardly extending portion of the vertically extending bar 54 which is generally L-shaped in cross-section with the base of the L secured to the rear member of the casing and constituting a guide for a slide 55, later more fully described. The forwardly extending member rests against a side edge of the can ister and supports it, and its front edge is cut away providing upper and lower proiections 56 and 57 abutting against a member 58, (Figs. 3 and 5), secured to the inner face of the front member of the casing. The function of member 58 and the flange 53 will be described later.

The hammer is normally held in its cocked position by aflat spring 60, (Figs. 3 to 6), suitably secured to a post supported on the rear member of the casing and constructed to constantly tend to move to release the hammer. The spring 60, (Figs. 3 to 6), is prevented from releasing the hammer by a tiltable rod or initiating device 61 bearing on the flange 53, before described and on a stud 62 secured to the spring 60. The ends of the rod 61 are rounded or pointed to make its operation sensitive to small vibrations as is understood. When the rod 61 is free, vibrations set up in the or the protector de vice will cause it to tilt to permit the spring to release the firing hammer.

For the purpose of preventing tilting o said red when the safe door is opened and the device is not in the functioning position shown in Figure 1, and to prevent functiou ing after it is moved out of the position shown in Figural, disabling means is provided. Secured to or integral with the rod 61 is a collar 63 preferably circular in shape, with which cooperates an apertured holding member 64 secured to the slide 55 the aperture in the holding member being of the same shape as the collar 63 and just slightly la er. This holding member when in the position shown in Figures 4 and 6, prevents tilting of the rod 61. This is the position it occupies when the device is disconnected from the door of the safe as later described. YVhen the holding member is in the position shown in Figures 3 and 5, the rod is free to be operated.

The slide 55, (Figs. 3 to 6), which carries the holding member 6d is provided with upper and lower bolts operating in slots in the rear member of the casing. Connected to the outer endof the lower bolt 65 is a J-shaped locking member 66, (Figs. 5 and 6), cooperating with a locking finger 67 projecting 'rom a block 68 secured to the right hand door of the safe. These parts are shown in locking position in Figure 5 and in unlocking positlon 111 Flgure 6. Depending downwardly from lockmg mem ber 66 is a manipulative member 69, the end of which may be a flattened portion to bear any suitable indication to show the condition of the device when the flattened portion is lowered from the position in Figure 3 to the position in Figure 4 where it may be readily viewed.

When the tiltable rod 61 is disabled as in Figure 6, the slide 55 is held in its lower position by a plunger bolt 70 operating in a sleeve 71 threaded in the slide and pressed mwardly by a spring 79. mounted in holding member 64. The plunger 'Z0 is pressed back to release the slide to permit locking the casing to the safe and conditioning the rod 61 for opera tion, by a pin 73 secured to right hand door it of the safe. As'seen in Figure 6, the parts shown therein may be moved into the position shown in Figure 5.

The slide 55 may be locked into its moved position shown in Figs. 3 .and 5 by a dial con- Qid trolled lock 74 as indicated generally in Figs.

1, 3 and 4. The lock bolt 74: of the lock is shown thrown in Figures 3 and 5.

The fuse :32, Figure 3, extends into close proinmity with the front wall of the front member of the casing and is preferably laid substantially as indicated in Figures 3 and 5,

Xtending from the hinge 29 through the casing and downwardly to the notches in the projections 56 and 57 of the bar 54, and leading into the top wall of the canister into the charge of tear gas compound 45, Figure 7.

To prevent fouling of the protector device by the pouring into the casing ofl-i-quids such as water, melted :paraflin, etc..., a float 75., Figures 3 and 4, is provided. This float is supported on one end of a wire bent at 76 as shown in Figures 3 to 5 to tilt the tiltable bolt 61 whenlifted by a liquid poured in the casing. The other end of the wire is anchored for pivotal movement at 7 '1 in the bar 54 as indicated in Figures 3 to 5.

The casing members are preferably constructedof soft steel. "The member 58,, before referred to, is constructed of hard steel and is secured-to the front casing member at spaced points. If an attempt is made to drill a hole through the front casing member, the drill on contacting with the member 58 will, because of the character of material of this member and the means of securing it, cause it to set up vibrations to cause the member 61 to tilt. As shown the flanges of the member 58 are shorter than the flanges of the front member of the casing, to freely permit vibration .of the member 58 and to permit the passage of gas to the ports 24:.

The-slide 5.5 carries a pin 78, (Figs. 3, 4, and 5),, which rocks the firing hammer 50 clockwise as the slide is lowered. This changes the tension of the spring 52 and prevents the spring from becoming set.

In order to minimize spring failure and to gain higher efliciency, it may be desirable to provide adual priming system such as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12. In addition to the primary hammer 50 and its spring 51 which are in all respects the same as the correspondingly designated hammer and p i g in Fig 4 and 5, there is provided a secondary hammer 150 and spring 151 and an additional primer cap 143. The primary and secondary parts are mountedsymmetrically with respect to the canister 40 as shown in Figure 12.

As shown in Figure 10 the primary hammer 5.0 is provided with a laterally extending pill 152 hearing against the tail of the hammer 150 to normally prevent it from firing before the primary hammer 50 has been released by the parts 67 and 60. As shown the spring 151 bears on the secondary hammer in the direction of its pivot so that normally it does not urge the hammer in the firing direction. This is shown also in Figure 11, in which the secondary hammer is still in its cocked position at the time theprima-ry hammer contacts with its primer cap. At this instant, the vibration set up by the first hammer striking its primer cap is sufficient to cause the secondary hammer to overcome the frictionalresistanceon its pivot and to move it across its dead center, when its spring will impel it against its primer can thus causing firing of the secondary primer cap shortly after the primary cap has been fired. This firing in rapid succession of the two primer caps-will give better-initial combustion to the gas charge. This dual arrangement obviously possesses another distinctadvantage as it greatly reduces the chance of misfire from defective primers.

Various changes in structure can be made within the scope of the claims without departingfrom-the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. in combination with a safe provided with a swinging door, a protector device,

means .movably connecting the device to the Y 1 :whenthe :door is closed and means for con-- operation of the protector deg 1 ltroliing the vice. Y

2. In combination with Y a 2 safe: provided.

1- with a doontopermit'access to theinterior of Y 1 the safe, :a' protector device normally condi- Y tioned vfor non-operation; means" movablysupporting said device on the body of the safe to permit; the device to be swung into the 1 tioninzgsaid device for operation;

between said'fiangeso Y Y ":5; a protector zdevicezcomprising agas Y generatingmeans. and a casing-therefor comprising members having oppositely directed spaced :fiangesfacing: each other with :the.

e of one abuttin against the bodor.

tion of the other and provided with openings communicating with the interior of the safe and the space between the flanges.

6. A. casing for a gas generating device comprising a plurality of male and female members provided with overlapping flanges, portions of which are in contact and other portions of which are out of contact to provide a space, the male member being provided with an opening establishing communication between said space and the interior of the casing. Y I

7 In a protector device comprising a casing and a gas generating means within the casing, a hollow hinge for supporting said casing upon a device to be protected, and a fuse extending through the hole in said hinge and having portions thereof extending substantially in contact with a wall of said casing and another portion connected to said generating means.

8. In a protector device comprising a casing ant. gas generating means within'the casing, a hinge secured thereto having a channel extending from a point close to one end of one of the hinge members through said hinge members and opening into the casing, and a fuse located in said channel and extending into said casing and about oneoi its sides and into cooperative relation with said gas generating means.

. 3. In combination with a safe, a :protec-- tor :devicesecured to the'safe,'n1eans operable I by vibrations: setup :in-the device for: causing;

said device to function, a casing for said do: vice, andalining: forsaid casing operable to Y produce vibrations to -causesaid devicetofunction as the lining is encountered in an a gas generating vmeans, a Y casing 1 therefor: Y comprising overlapping parallellyspaced :in-. I her and outer flanges, the inner one :ofzwhich; :hasan opening .efleeting communication between'the interior or theeasing and the spacesaid holding means.

- 10. In a protector device, a firing hammer, Y a trip for said hammer Y releasable by vihrations set up, means forsupporting said de 7 viceupon an: article to be protected in a posi-- tion where it is intended tofunction and in; i Y another position: where it is: not intended to function, and means for disabling said strip: :when the device is in anon-functioning posi- Y ,t-i v 1 11'. In a protector device, a firing hammer,-

a trip for.saidhammerreleasahle by vibra- Y tions: set up, means for supporting said dc- I mer, a second movable means for causing sald first movable means to function, and means movable 1nto position for holdlng said second movable means or permitting to move, locking means for locking said devi e upon an article to be protected, and means operable by movement of said locking means into locking position to position. said holding means to disable said second mentioned means.

14.. In a protector device comprising means to set it into operation, and a controlling means therefor including atrigger operable to release said device for operation, member for engaging and preventing operation of said trigger having an enlarged portion for tilting said member to release said trigger, and means movable over said enlarged portion to prevent said member from tilting.

15. In a protector device havlng means controlling the operation thereof comprising an elongated initiating member set on end and tiltable to release said device for operation, a collar thereon, and a member movable over said collar to hold said initiating member against tilting.

16. In a protector device, the combination of a primary firing hammer, and a secondan firing hammer normally restrained against firing by the primary hammer.

vice upon an article :tobetprotectedzin a posi- I tic-n where it is intended to function and in another: position where it; is: not intended to: function, means for locking saiddovice in a: i I I 2 functioning position,- andmeans controlled by said locking: means :for i disabling said trip whenmoved into unlocking position.

.wiZ-QI InEa protector de. iee-compris ig a-lir inghammer, a springifor actuating the-hanr. :me;r,: movable means .for releasing s :mer, a second movable means for causingsaid I 'iirst movable means to function, and means movable intoposition for holding said second movahle means: or permittingitto move. 1 1 13. Ina protector device comprising a fir- Y Y I Y Y 1 :ing hammer, a, spring for actuating theEham- 1 Y 1 'mer, movable means for releasing said ham 17. In a protector device, the combination of a primary firing hammer, means for causing the hammer to move toward firing position by vibrations set up in the device, a secondary hammer, and means for causing it to fire by vibrations set up by the firing action of the primary hammer.

18. In a protector device, the combination of a primary firing hammer, a spring normally bearing on said hammer for causing the hammer to move toward firing position, a secondary firing hammer, and a spring normally bearing on it in the direction of its pivot.

19. In a protector device, the combination of a primary firing hammer, a spring normally bearing on said hammer for causing the hammer to move toward firing position, a secondary firing hammer, means on the primary hammer normally preventing a firing movement of the secondary hammer, and a spring normally bearing on it in the direction of its pivot.

CARL F. WOLTERS. CHARLES SHULTE. 

